209k views
5 votes
Which of the following has helped prevent coyotes and wolves from attacking sheep?

a. conditioned taste aversion
b. positive reinforcement
c. observational learning
d. spontaneous recovery

User TMBT
by
7.6k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

Conditioned taste aversion, a type of cognitive learning, has helped in preventing coyotes and wolves from attacking sheep by making predators associate the taste of sheep with sickness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The method that has helped prevent coyotes and wolves from attacking sheep is a. conditioned taste aversion. This is a form of cognitive learning that occurs when an animal associates the taste of a particular food with an unpleasant experience, such as nausea or sickness. This form of learning is very powerful and can occur based on a single instance, with a significant time lapse between the event and the negative stimulus. Essentially, animals learn to avoid foods that have made them ill in the past, which is an evolutionary adaptation to help them avoid harmful substances.

For instance, sheep can be treated with a substance that causes nausea to a predator without harming the sheep. When a coyote or wolf eats one of these treated sheep, they experience the negative effects and develop an aversion to the taste of sheep, thereby reducing the likelihood of further attacks on the flock.

User Shakim
by
7.9k points